


i don't know, i'm just gay and she's cute

by loubie



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, F/F, I hope it's cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:15:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26087068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loubie/pseuds/loubie
Summary: Regina owns a bookstore and meets the endearing Emma Swan.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 30
Kudos: 109





	i don't know, i'm just gay and she's cute

**Author's Note:**

> thank you gwey for this amazing prompt!! this is for you, hope i did it right,,,, love ya girl
> 
> sorry for the mistakes guys, hehe didn't wanna edit this because it's already past midnight here and i am supposed to be sleeping lmao anyways, happy reading!

It was Monday when Regina first saw her. Blonde curls, red sweatshirt, and blue jeans. There's nothing special about her, really. Her clothing's just plain, her face free of any cosmetic products except for the occasional eyeliner she puts, and the way she handles herself, the sway of her hips when she walks and the young attitude she has.

For how simple this woman is, Regina couldn't have noticed her, but it's something _new_ because for a couple of years of owning this bookstore, she's already been used to children and their parents, but not a woman of her age.   
  


Tuesday is when she gets to hear her voice -- not as deep as hers and a bit rough but feminine -- and gets to know her name.

The bell rings, another reader, another explorer of dimensions that only books could offer, and Regina turns to look at the door like what she always does.

A foot steps forward but it's not a size of a kid's nor a school shoe. It's booted and is followed by the other pair. When she looks up to the owner, it's to a pair of green eyes. _Light green like shining trees under the morning sun._

"Good afternoon," Regina greets.

The woman's eyes widen and she seems panicked in an instant. She turns to look around, Regina thinks she's trying to find other people around her, and stares back at Regina.

"Emma," she breathes and bites her lip, _a cliche gesture but cute and attractive, which is not definitely the point,_ looking shy as she flicks her gaze from Regina to the wall behind her, back to Regina and back again to the wall.

However, Regina's confused. Her brows furrow as she purses her lips and nods slowly, uncertain as to how she'll process this new information. "Yes? Is that your name?"

This woman -- _Emma, if it's really her name --_ narrows her eyes and stutters, "Uh... kind of? I... I thought you're asking my name." And then the high cheekbones she has turn pink as she brings a palm to her face and mumbles, "Of course you weren't."

Regina barely hears it and when she tries to reason out, Emma says hastily, "I'm sorry." And rushes out of the store.

Regina's left there, lips slightly parted, fists clenched, and heart pounding. She hates herself for being rude and now, she's lost a customer.

She's not expecting her to come back on Wednesday, so when she looks up again at the sound of the bell and sees blonde curls, her heart jumps and she fights the urge to run to the woman and apologize. Instead, she smiles a tentative one and waits for the other woman to look at her before she greets her, "Hello. Good afternoon." And then she adds, or her tongue adds, rather, "Emma."

The name still tastes unfamiliar on her tongue but it rolls easily like it belongs there. Like adopting a puppy, you still have to know it, but you're sure it's the one you want to stay in your home.

Emma looks shocked, then relieved, and then her eyes shine smugly, although she tries to cover it up with a crooked smile.

She walks to Regina, head is slightly bowed down and fingers fidgeting on her sides.

"Hi."

She's... _awkward,_ is it the right term? But not the kind that you wouldn't want to be in the same room with, Emma's endearing, she dares to think.

"You, uh, remember my name."

"You kind of introduced yourself in a most... _memorable_ way."

Regina smirks as she sees this blonde blush.

"God, that was just so stupid."

Regina has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing. Last night, all she thought of was how stupid _she_ is for making a customer flush with embarrassment. And she wanted to apologize, really. But now, it's oddly fun to see this woman all flustered.

"I'm sorry." Regina's sure that amusement dances in her eyes. She clears her throat and places her hands on the counter, "You're Emma, I'm Regina. It's nice to meet you."

"Okay, I am not allowing that introduction. Yesterday was really embarrassing so let's pretend it didn't happen. Can we do that?"

"Okay," Regina drawls, confused as to where all this is heading to. Emma's face lights up, though and somehow, it makes the tension in Regina's shoulders slowly fade.

Emma turns away and pads her feet to the front door and Regina could feel the slight jab in her heart and her stomach sinking.

She did it again. She pushed another nice person away again.

Except Emma looks over her shoulder and winks at her, green eyes are bright and a cheek is dimpled when she smirks, and Regina, oh Regina's breath is caught in her throat, heart's in a _ba-da-dum ba-da-dum_ rhythm. Emma's suddenly glowing in this angle and Regina's hands are itching with the need to write this exact moment.

Emma goes out and lets a second to pass before she steps inside again. This time, she's wearing a wide goofy grin, steps almost skipping and yellow curls bouncing, and she looks so young and free.

"Hi. I'm Emma. Emma Swan."

Regina couldn't take her eyes off her. And with a steady _ba-da-dum ba-da-dum_ of her heart and sweaty palms, she gulps and says, "Regina. Regina Mills."

Wednesday was the day she officially meets Emma Swan. And also the day she started questioning her sexuality.  
  
  
  
The next days were fun. They get to talk and know each other, Regina gets to tease her -- no, _mock mock mock_ , tease is quite intimate, it's mock. -- and surprisingly, Emma's confident enough to talk back at her, and she's always smug about it.   
  
Regina's heart still beats the same rhythm and she gets those fluttering in her stomach. She once researched about those and she didn't like the answer: apparently, Google says it's a sign of falling in love. Regina has to slam her laptop shut when she read it.  
  
She's not afraid, no. And it's not because Emma's a woman, or Emma generally. Well, it's a little bit because of Emma.   
  
She once caught her reading Percy Jackson and she said, "A fan of fantasy, I see."  
  
Emma looked defensive as she closed the book, "You don't like it?"  
  
"I..." she was taken aback with the question, expecting that Emma would defend herself. "No, it's a good series. But I'd prefer the educational ones."   
  
"Of course, you would."  
  
They argued about it for a good twenty minutes but then laugh at the end. And then the next day, Emma's reading a biology book. And Regina's heart once again, leapt.   
  
Emma's making her feel like she's special. She makes Regina smile, laugh. Makes Regina joke about things, and Regina rarely jokes. Emma laughs at her sarcastic comments, and smiles at Regina like she's telling something. And sometimes, she puts a hand on her arm. _God, how Regina resisted not to take that hand on hers._  
  
It's driving Regina insane. She can't sleep at night, rolling on her bed, thinking of a blonde woman and all her gestures. And she thinks, maybe Emma Swan's kind of in love with her, too.  
  
Until one day, when Emma purchased a book about courting someone, and it makes Regina feel a slight pinch in her chest. And then, things kind of went downhill.  
  
Emma used to go in the bookstore at least thrice a week, but now, it's been two days since her last visit. And yes, Regina shouldn't be overreacting, but, couldn't Emma tell her what's been going on?  
  
Then when Emma returned, Regina's torn between wanting to strangle her or hug her tight. She settled for a polite smile instead and greeted, "Hello, Emma."  
  
The other woman dipped her head in acknowledgement, and mumbled, "Hi." She went to her _spot,_ in the corner.   
  
It happened again the next day, and the next, then the next. Regina's growing frustrated of the other woman because after everything they talked about, now she's suddenly treating her like a stranger?  
  
Then, one Thursday evening happened. Regina's closing the store, securing everything's okay, when she sees a blonde head resting on a forearm. Emma's napping and Regina thought she's already gone home.   
  
With a breath getting shallow, she clears her throat and pokes Emma's head with a finger, "Emma."  
  
The blonde stirs and releases a yawn. When she looks up to Regina, Regina's heart instantly melts with how soft this woman looks, eyes heavy with sleep, mouth's grinning lazily, and nose scrunching up a bit, "Good morning."  
  
"It's the evening, Miss Swan."  
  
Emma frowns and sits upright, spine cracking as she stretches her body and Regina's eyes widen as they travel the sight of Emma's exposed arms to her back.   
  
"You're closed?"  
  
"I was about to, but I saw you sleeping and had to wake you up."  
  
"Oh, uh, sorry 'bout that." Emma stands while Regina takes a step back, aware of their sudden close proximity.   
  
She fidgets with her purse and looks away from Emma's curious gaze, "Are you good to go?"  
  
"Regina, actually, I've been wanting to ask you something."  
  
Regina stiffens and slowly looks up, heart pounding fast and loud and stomach flipping. She tries her best to sound unaffected, "Go on."  
  
"I, uh, do you have plans tonight?"  
  
 _Is she asking me out? Should I say yes?_

"Why?"

"I just think that maybe we could hang out outside of this bookstore, you know? I mean, if you want to." Emma's biting her lip again, the nervous tick Regina has gotten to know. 

And there's that same ache again in her chest that's been there since Emma has started avoiding her. "You thought we could _hang out_ after how shitty you've been?" 

Regina's eyes are narrowed while Emma's doubled in size. She sighs, "I'm sorry. I know it's not enough and I've been acting like shit the past few days but believe me, Regina. It's not about you." Regina's still not convinced though. "Okay, it's actually about you."

"What have I done this time?" This isn't the first time people avoided her for being _her._ Emma must have felt the same too. 

"What? No. No, you haven't done anything. You've been nice, too good and that's the problem. I imagined it as an act of something else..." Emma trails off, probably hoping Regina could catch on but Regina's just confused.

"Something else?"

"This has been bugging me since day one and it would be really nice to let it out." Regina waits expectantly, heart pounding in her ears and knees starting to get weak. "I kinda like you, you know? And I've been wanting to ask you out but I was really scared that you just see me as a friend, or worse, a customer, and that you'll reject me. So, I took a few days off from here, which is really hard, to sort everything out. Until someone told me about taking risks in life, and the first thing that popped in my head, was your smile. And I told myself, "Fuck it, Swan. If she said no, then okay. At least you know she's worth the risk." And that's why I'm here."

Regina's heart squeezes with Emma's words. But it was a beautiful squeeze, an accepted one and she feels like floating. She chuckles, and then laughs, "Okay."

"Okay?"

Regina nods vehemently and repeats, "Okay. I would like to go out with you. On one condition."

Emma looks wary but very much relieved and she also nods, "Shoot."

Regina's shy but she says it, "Can I squeeze your arms?" 


End file.
